1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to shoes and, more particularly, is concerned with a sculptured sole construction for athletic footwear.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The increasing popularity of athletic endeavors has been accompanied by an increasing number of shoe designs intended to meet the needs of the participants in the various sports. The proliferation of shoe designs has especially occurred for the participants in athletic endeavors involving walking and running. In typical walking and running gaits, it is well understood that one foot is always on the ground in a "stance mode" while the other foot is moving through the air in a "swing mode". Furthermore, in the stance mode, the respective foot "on the ground" travels through three successive basic phases: heel strike, mid stance and toe off. At faster running paces, the heel strike phase is usually omitted.
Current shoe designs fail to adequately address the needs of the participant's foot and ankle system during each of these successive stages. Current shoe designs cause the participant's foot and ankle system to lose a significant proportion, by some estimates at least thirty percent, of its functional abilities including its abilities to absorb shock, load musculature and tendon systems, and to propel the runner's body forward. This is because the soles of current walking and running shoe designs fail to address individually the heel, toes, tarsels, muscles and tendons of a participant's foot. The failure to individually address these foot components inhibits the flexibility of the foot and ankle system, interferes with the timing necessary to optimally load the foot and ankle system, and interrupts the smooth and continuous transfer of energy from the heel to the toes of the foot during the three successive basic phases of the "on the ground" foot travel.
Consequently, a need remains for athletic footwear having a sole construction that individually addresses the actions of the heel, toes, metatarsels, muscles and tendons of a participant's foot.